The program, which is managed by the Missouri-based Environmental Resources Coalition, is designed to provide services to all types and sizes of livestock and poultry production operations west of the Mississippi River. Technical assistance for the project is confidential and free to all producers. ERC is a non-profit group dedicated to water quality protection and improvement efforts and the program uses federal grant dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Find out more here.
Posted: October 13, 2009 at 5:25 pm
By News Editor
Here’s a new product worth talking about: Yoplait® Yogurt Chips. Did you know that as a dairy producer you helped to launch this new product, which use both yogurt and milk, through your dairy checkoff investment? Dairy Management Inc., in partnership with General Mills, owner of the Yoplait® brand, helped to developed this new line of frozen fruit and yogurt smoothies. The yogurt chips use a breakthrough technology to develop a yogurt product that is blended with fruit and eight ounces of fluid milk.
The smoothies were developed to help meet consumer needs for nutritious and convenient dairy products that also taste good. The smoothies, which can be found in the frozen fruit section in grocery stores nationwide, are available in three flavors — Strawberry Banana, Strawberry Mango Pineapple and Triple Berry.
“Sales of yogurt and smoothie products have been a shining star for the dairy category in recent years,” said Paul Rovey, Arizona dairy producer and chair of Dairy Management Inc.™, which manages the national dairy checkoff. “Checkoff-funded dairy ingredient marketing efforts work with key food and beverage manufacturers to assist in the development of new products that drive volume by highlighting the nutrition, functionality, versatility and good taste of dairy ingredients.”
General Mills, in collaboration with national and local dairy promotion organizations, is rolling out the frozen fruit and yogurt smoothie products in grocery stores across the nation this fall. The launch also will include in-store sampling events to boost sales. Consumer research indicates that, once consumers tried the smoothies, they became regular customers. The smoothies will result in an estimated 120 million pounds of additional milk volume used each year.
Editor’s Note: The Yoplait trademark is owned by Yoplait Marques Internationales SAS (France) and used under license by General Mills. General Mills proudly owns and operates the Yoplait yogurt business in the United States.
Posted: October 13, 2009 at 5:19 pm
By News Editor
The current state of the Chinese dairy industry is described best as being in a period of transition, with small herd owners and managers facing the decision between expanding their operation and going out of business. As low milk prices continue to create a challenge for smaller producers, it is anticipated the trend toward larger operations will be steady, in order to balance the rising costs of doing business.
This rapid herd expansion creates an identified need for the continued education of dairy producers on modern dairy management practices, with close attention being paid to developing least cost ration formulations, while maintaining the integrity and nutrient content of feed ingredients. With this in mind, the U.S. Grains Council recently sponsored a Chinese Dairy Study Team to the United States.
The team’s itinerary included activities encompassing all aspects of the dairy business, from corn and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) production to modern facilities, farm equipment and genetics, giving participants a breadth of exposure to U.S. industry technology and trends. Attending a short course specially designed for the group by the Babcock Institute, team members were trained by university instructors who are experts in their fields.
The team was also afforded the opportunity to visit World Dairy Expo, meeting with agribusiness representatives, attending seminars and discussing dairy techniques with dairy producers from 88 countries. Walter Chen, USGC consultant who traveled with the team, said the participants were very impressed with U.S. dairy management systems and was optimistic about the future of the Chinese dairy industry.
“This is also a good opportunity for them to learn more about U.S. DDGS,” said Chen.
As the price of Chinese corn is on the rise, the Council has seen rapid growth in DDGS imports, with approximately 250,000 to 300,000 metric tons estimated to be imported in 2009. These numbers far exceed the 8,000 tons imported in all of 2008. In order to give the team an in-depth view of the production and utilization of the co-product DDGS, they met with ethanol plant manager and toured their facilities, as well as visiting dairy operations in Wisconsin and California.
With the information the team gained from this study tour, “There is a lot of hope for the import of DDGS and some U.S. feed grains,” said Chen.
Several European partners will aggregate the reference populations they are using for a number of Holstein breeding programs. A reference population is a group of bulls with breeding values from progeny tests and known DNA profiles. It provides breeding organizations the indispensable basis for the calculation of reliable genomic effects and genomic breeding values. The enlargement of the total reference population within EuroGenomics will therefore further increase the reliability of genomic breeding.
The aggregation of the reference populations will take place in two steps, resulting in a total reference population of 16,000 proven bulls by the end of this year. This first common European reference population will be one of the largest in the world.
The customers of the EuroGenomics partners will benefit highly from this important cooperation, because it will further improve the accuracy and reliability of the genomic breeding values. Furthermore the ongoing development of genomic selection will result in extra genetic progress and eventually lower costs of the individual breeding programs, retaining the same or even higher quality. EuroGenomics will therefore position Europe as a leading continent in the world of Holstein breeding.
The following partners are the founders of EuroGenomics:
UNCEIA – French national Association of Livestock & Artificial Insemination Cooperatives
CRV – International cattle improvement organisation with headquarters in the Netherlands
DHV and vit – German national umbrella organization of the Holstein breeding industry and the German computing centre of cattle data
VikingGenetics – Danish-Swedish cattle breeding association
The above mentioned partners will be working closely together with a number of research partners, amongst which are the University of Liège (Belgium), INRA (French research centre), the Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation and Aarhus University/Foulum (Denmark).
Posted: October 12, 2009 at 4:32 pm
By News Editor
The National Jersey Queen contest will benefit from the donation of a March junior calf donated by Lyon Jerseys of Toledo, Iowa. The calf will sell in the 57th All American Jersey Sale on November 8, 2009 for the benefit of the National Jersey Queen Scholarship Fund.
The heifer, Lyon Blackstone Steffi, is a daughter of Lencrest Blackstone-ET, JPI 191, and out of a Very Good-86% BW Legion daughter with 16,819-906-626 m.e. on her first lactation. The next dam is also Very Good with six records averaging 16,943-722-589 m.e.
The National Jersey Queen Scholarship Fund was established in 2005 by a group of Jersey women interested in expanding travel and educational opportunities for the National Jersey Queen and members of the court. It provided a $500 scholarship and travel support to three national Jersey events for 2008 National Jersey Queen, Kristin Hogan, Tillamook, Ore. Scholarships of $300 and $200, respectively, were also provided to the two alternate Queens: Julie Ann Ozburn, Nolensville, Tenn., and Katie Wirkus, Athens, Wis.
The National Jersey Queen contest is held in conjunction with The All American Jersey Shows and Sales, scheduled for November 7 through 10 in Louisville, Ky. Over the two-day contest, the contestants complete a general dairy knowledge test, are interviewed by a panel of judges, and prepare a two-minute video presentation demonstrating their public speaking skills.
Posted: October 12, 2009 at 4:27 pm
By News Editor
The Iowa State Dairy Association (ISDA) will hold its annual Policy Drafting Meeting on Wednesday, November 18. The meeting will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Iowa State University dairy farm classroom in Ames, Iowa. All ISDA members are invited to attend, lunch will be provided.
Attendees will review current policy and proposed resolutions, as well as draft new resolutions. This is an important meeting for ISDA members to share opinions and review ISDA policy. The 2010 legislative session starts in early January and it is essential for Iowa’s dairy industry to come together to draft resolutions that will drive the association’s initiatives in the year to come.
After the Policy Drafting Meeting, proposed resolutions will be sent to ISDA Annual Meeting Delegates for review. Final voting on resolutions will take place at ISDA’s annual meeting. No new resolutions will be accepted after the Policy Drafting Meeting.
In order to get an accurate count for lunch and meeting handouts, please RSVP to Jessica Bloomberg by calling (515) 971-3620 or email jessicab@iowadairy.org.
ISDA members unable to attend the Policy Drafting Meeting are welcome to submit resolutions and suggestions in writing. All comments must be received by Friday, November 13. You may submit via email to jessicab@iowadairy.org, by mail to 101 NE Trilein Dr., Ankeny, IA 50021 or by fax to (515) 964-5498.
Posted: October 12, 2009 at 4:22 pm
By News Editor
Check out the updated website for the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin! The site has a fresh updated look and provides more information than ever before. Dairy producers and industry leaders can now turn to the web site for weather information, markets updates, national agricultural news headlines as well as information related directly to PDPW, its members and activities.
Formed in 1992, PDPW has grown into a network of 1,600 members from 11 states who represent every type and size of dairy operation and various agribusinesses.
“As the largest producer-led education organization in the nation, we have a responsibility to provide our members and others within the dairy industry with information that is important to them,” states Doug Knoepke, a dairy producer from Durand, Wis., and president of PDPW. “The redesign of our web site allows us to include more information, provide more helpful resources and let individuals know about scheduled educational events that can help improve their bottom line.”
In addition to the quick-read weather, market reports and national agricultural news headlines, tabs across the top allow web site visitors to know more about PDPW as an organization, hear from PDPW members themselves and access and sign up to receive the organization’s three key communication vehicles: the monthly Manager’s Memo and Capitol Link e-newsletters and the PDPW-sponsored AgriView’s Dairy’s Bottom Line tabloid. Plus information about the Education Foundation is provided.
The story starts out with a description of how and why one dairy farmer (Barbara Martin) is using social media.
For Martin, using social media and blogging is a way to dispel some myths about farmers and encourage a greater understanding of the slumping dairy industry.
She’s blogged about everything from fixing the pricing structure for milk to sharing her childhood memories about growing up on a farm. Her most recent post is a video diary about her heifer Chica.
Posted: October 11, 2009 at 5:29 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Back in 2001, Dairyland Seed released the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, HybriForce-400. This year, they took that up a notch and introduced the next generation – HybriForce-2400 Gen-2.
“It’s giving us a five percent yield advantage over generation one,” said Dairyland Seed Forage Product Manager Chad Staudinger during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “Through the hybrid breeding system we are able to commercially place F1 generation with 100 percent yield potential on-farm.”
Chad says this provides a definite yield advantage for producers and the hybrid system brings with it a uniformity of crop, which ultimately means more uniformity of feed for the animals.
Cash dairy product prices keep strengthening. The block cheese price hit $1.5025 per pound the second Friday in October, up 6 3/4-cents on the week and the highest it has been since last December, but 37 3/4-cents below that week a year ago. Barrel closed Friday at $1.43, up a penny on the week, but 40 1/2-cents below a year ago. Only two cars of each traded hands on the week. The lagging NASS surveyed U.S. average block price slipped 0.3 cent, to $1.3106. Barrel averaged $1.3428, up 3.8 cents.
Butter gained a penny and then gave some back Friday, closing at $1.2375, up a quarter-cent on the week, but 46 1/2-cents below a year ago. Eight cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.2065, down 0.1 cent.
Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk closed the week at $1.28 per pound, up a dime on the week. Extra Grade closed at $1.22, up 7 cents. NASS powder averaged $1.0102, up 3.2 cents, and dry whey averaged 30.18 cents, down 0.1 cent.
There were no price support purchases on the week and the new fiscal year began October 1. DEIP bid acceptances this week included 3.3 million pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 176,368 pounds of Cheddar cheese, and 90,389 pounds of Mozzarella cheese.
Sign-up today for one of two days of four facility tours of Innovative calf and heifer operations, on Oct. 20 and 21. Developed by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, the Tuesday, Oct. 20 tour will feature four facilities in northeastern Wisconsin while the Wednesday, Oct. 21 tour will highlight four facilities in northwestern Wisconsin.
“We’re going to check out low-cost, retrofitted and state-of-the-art facilities for dairy calves, heifers and springers and interact with dairy producers who will share their stories regarding challenges, triumphs and lessons learned,” states Doug Knoepke, a Durand, Wis., dairy producer and president of PDPW. “Both tours are all about information and idea sharing, networking and finding ways for dairy producers to be more profitable.
“You never know what you might learn on a tour that can be taken home and applied.”
Tuesday’s northeastern Wisconsin tour includes stops at Wiese Brothers, Greenleaf, a 2,300-cow dairy that raises calves and heifers on one site; Abel Farms, Eden, that grows more than 1,200 wet calves and heifers; 3-D Dairy, Malone, that uses computerized calf feeders for its 100 calves; and Schneider Farms, Hilbert, where 3,800 calves and heifers go from warm nurseries to bedding packs to freestalls.
Wednesday’s northwestern Wisconsin tour will visit Marty Weiss, Durand, who uses a self-cleaning, bunker pen system and has plans for another facility; Prissel Valley Farms, Durand, that raises 100 wet calves and recently added a 550-stall heifer barn; Bussee’s Barron Acres, Barron, a highly successful 2,800 calf-raising operation; and Sugar-Bol Farm, Chetek, that has retrofitted facilities with free-stalls and lots with mounds and uses a bedding recycler.
Both tours are open to dairy producers—PDPW members and non-members—as well as industry leaders. Registration fees covers round-trip bussing, lunch, refreshments and information that can’t be gathered anywhere other than from experienced calf and heifer raisers.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health announced that it has initiated a multi-year sponsorship project, supporting the Shire Highlands Milk Producers Association (SHMPA) in Malawi, a developing country in southeast Africa. The primary objective of the project is to support smallholder dairy farmers in the Shire Highlands to improve their capabilities to manage the milk production process.
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health will provide financial and in-kind support that can annually be adapted as specified by SHMPA. Support will initially focus on increasing milk production by improvement of animal health and infrastructure. Short-term projects include the provision of funds to build and equip a veterinary laboratory as well as the supply of some urgently needed veterinary diagnostics and medicines. The scope of the support may also be extended to the improvement of milk quality, animal husbandry (nutrition, reproduction and breeding) and farm management. In-kind support may consist of the sharing of veterinary expertise as well as offering education and training.
“The challenges in dairy farming in this part of the world are many, and the road to progress is far from smooth, but most of the time in the right direction. Some of our biggest challenges are making sure that milk farmers have access to artificial insemination and veterinary services. We hope that through our links with Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health we will improve these services,” commented SHMPA Dairy Development Advisor Brian Lewis.
“We are proud to be able, with the help of veterinarians who purchase our products, to assist milk farmers in the Shire Highlands in a sustainable manner that contributes to economic improvement in Southern Malawi,” said Edival Santos, vice president, Global Ruminant Business Unit at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health.
Materials will preferably be sourced on site, thereby sustaining the local economy. The funds are earmarked for specific objectives and SHMPA management will be responsible for using these resources efficiently and reporting on their allocation.
Funding will be generated by customer-focused, sales-related incentive programs linked to the cattle business of participating country operations. This model is already being used successfully by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health to support the Afya Serengeti project, a dog rabies eradication program in Tanzania.
Posted: October 8, 2009 at 2:49 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will tour Crave Brothers Farm and Dairy Operation in Waterloo, Wisconsin Friday to see bioenergy in action.
Crave Brothers is an example of a successful modern dairy, using green energy sources to power the farm, cheese factory and 120 area homes. Crave Brothers Dairy Farm and its cheesemaking enterprise, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, have a sophisticated, computer-controlled anaerobic digestion system that generates electricity that runs on organic waste from their 750 pampered and productive Holsteins.
The Administration and State officials will discuss the opportunities for rural America to embrace science and lead efforts to create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, mitigate climate change, and transition to a clean energy economy.
With today’s economic situation in the dairy industry, it is very wise for producers to do all they can to protect the investment they have made in their animals.
At World Dairy Expo, I talked with Lance Fox of Alpharma about maximizing disease protection in the first critical weeks of a calf’s life.
“AS700, or Aureo S 700®, is a management tool, a medication that goes in the feed,” Lance told me. “Transitioning calves, weaning calves, can be a very tough time in their lives, lot of stress going on. It’s a tool to use to help those calves get through that transition a little smoother, maintain their weight gains and ultimately their performance.”
Aureo S 700® is a combination of Aureomycin® (chlortetracycline) and sulfamethazine. Lance says this product has been on the market for 35 years, and Aureo itself is about 58 years old. “So the products have been around a long time and they work just as well today as they did when they were first released.”
What about return on investment? “If you look at the cost of feeding the product for a 28-day feeding period, it’s about $2.50 per head for the entire period,” Lance said. Keeping the calves healthy, preventing disease is the key and that helps the animals perform better and make more milk for the dairyman.
Listen to an interview with Lance below or watch this YouTube interview from World Dairy Expo:
When it comes to connecting with consumers via social networking mechanisms like Twitter and YouTube dairy farmers are leading the way. We’ve pointed you to Will Gilmer before. He’s just started a new video series on YouTube called MooTube Minute. Additionally, he has created a video to demonstrate the eco-friendly way dairy farmers conduct manure management.
While Wisconsin is in the name of the organization, Executive Director Shelly Mayer says they actually have grown into a network of 1,600 members from eleven states who represent every type and size of dairy operation. “We have producers that are members from Pennsylvania, the Dakotas, California, Arizona – all over the country – because they seek the information that PDPW is providing,” Shelly says.
The organization provides information about topics that are vital and timely for the dairy industry, including animal welfare, environmental and labor issues. They also offer an annual Managers Academy, which will be held January 19-21 in Seattle, that helps producers focus on the business side of their operation.
In addition, PDPW sponsors several workshops, training seminars and tours throughout the year on various topics. For example, coming up October 20-21 is the Dairy Calf & Heifer Tour which visits innovative operations around the state of Wisconsin. A couple of sponsors for that tour are also sponsors of our World Dairy Expo coverage – Charleston Orwig and Novus International.
This November, the University of Wisconsin Press is serving up a new book about the lives and practices of the Dairyland State’s cream of the crop: the Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin. Called THE MASTER CHEESEMAKERS OF WISCONSIN, the book is written and photographed by James Norton and Becca Dilley and is due to be published on November 24, 2009. Be sure to get your copy today!
This book—beautifully photographed and engagingly written—introduces hardworking, resourceful men and women who represent an artisanal craft that has roots in Europe but has been a Wisconsin tradition since the 1850s. Wisconsin produces more than six hundred varieties of cheese, from massive wheels of cheddar and swiss to bricks of brick and limburger to such specialties such as crescenza-stracchino and Finnish juustoleipa. These masters combine tradition, technology, artistry, and years of dedicated learning—in a profession that depends on fickle, living ingredients—to create the rich tastes and beautiful presentation of their skillfully crafted products.
Certification as a Master Cheesemaker typically takes almost fifteen years. An applicant must hold a cheesemaking license for at least ten years, create one or two chosen varieties of cheese for at least five years, take more than two years of university courses, consent to constant testing of their cheese and evaluation of their plant, and pass grueling oral and written exams to be awarded the prestigious title.
James Norton and Becca Dilley interviewed these dairy artisans, listened to their stories, tasted their cheeses, and explored the plants where they work. Publication of this volume has been made possible, in part, through support from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc. and the dairy farm families of Wisconsin.
This book includes:
• 52 color photos, 62 b/w photos, and 5 maps
• Profiles of the 43 certified Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin
• A glossary of cheesemaking terms
• Touring and tasting opportunities
• Tasting notes and food pairing recommendations
• Tasty curds of information about cheese
As a dairy producer, you are also a beef producer. Recently, the results of the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) pilot project were released. The pilot project evaluated the quality of market dairy cows being sold at auction. The study was designed to give dairy producers more information about how their animals are valued within the beef chain when they are sold through auction markets. The BQA program is partially funded by the beef checkoff.
“Trickle-down economics is observed daily in the salvage cattle market,” says Gary Smith, Ph.D., Monfort Endowed Chair in Meat Science, Colorado State University. “Packer-buyers pay more for animals that will yield more or higher-quality products – and that goes straight to the producers’ bottom line.”
The goal of this project was to provide dairy producers information that was not previously available about the potential value of their market cows and bulls. It also underscores that existing industry recommendations to cull animals in a timely manner are one of the best measures to maintain their value and enhance their carcass quality.
While this study does support the concept that premiums exist in the marketplace for market cows of higher quality, an individual operation’s economic analysis should also be a part of the decision-making process.
The primary obstacle to educating dairy producers about Beef Quality Assurance principles has stemmed from the limited income generated from market dairy cows, and an apparent lack of perceived ability to add value. Ultimately, this research will help to meet consumer demand for high-value beef by improving the quality, consistency and safety of beef products from dairy cows.
“There are premiums to be had for producers who sell high-quality market cows. When every dollar counts, it’s important for producers to remember that six percent of total beef production is attributable to market dairy cows,” says Kevin Good, Senior Market Analyst, CattleFax. “Paying attention to quality issues improves salvage value by making animals more desirable for buyers.”
The pilot program was conducted in collaboration with the Idaho Beef Council and California Beef Council.
Wrapping up the Global Dairy 500 Conference was Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech President. Dr. Lyons summarized many of the presentations with a series of take home messages. The focus was on the future of dairy farming, the integration of a brand, methane production, cow comfort, tourist attractions, education, milk marketing with nutrition also being a key topic. Additionally, a strong message that came out of the presentations was to “record the data” and that body conditioning is critical. As Dr. Lyons said, “Talk to the cow and the cow will talk to you.”
During his closing remarks Dr. Lyons introduced the Agri Aware program that Alltech has sponsored. The educational program for school children of all ages now has it’s first video module featuring “A Day in the Life of a Dairy Farmer.” We watched the video and then Dr. Lyons called on participants to go back home, take the program and have it translated into their languages.
You can listen to Dr. Lyons remarks below. And don’t forget to check out my photo album from the event. If you didn’t attend you can see what you missed!
The final panel discussion at the Global Dairy 500 Conference focused on future technologies in the dairy industry. Presenting were Matthew Smith, Alltech and Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech.
I spoke with Dr. Dawson immediately following his remarks. He says some of the technologies in methane recovery offer a new cost saving line for the farmer by producing bioenergy. Feed management technologies offer a lot as they change, especially in nitrogen management. He says their goal was to bring these to the attention of the dairy farmer so they will consider them as they make future plans.
You can listen to my interview with Dr. Dawson below:
Dairy producers in the western half of the United States can get free, confidential help to develop and implement plans to limit their environmental impact through a program called Comprehensive Livestock Environmental Assessments and Nutrient management plans, or CLEANmp.
Here’s a new product worth talking about: 
The current state of the Chinese dairy industry is described best as being in a period of transition, with small herd owners and managers facing the decision between expanding their operation and going out of business. As low milk prices continue to create a challenge for smaller producers, it is anticipated the trend toward larger operations will be steady, in order to balance the rising costs of doing business. 
The 
The
Check out the
Back in 2001, Dairyland Seed released the world’s first hybrid alfalfa, 
“It’s giving us a five percent yield advantage over generation one,” said Dairyland Seed Forage Product Manager Chad Staudinger during an interview at World Dairy Expo. “Through the hybrid breeding system we are able to commercially place F1 generation with 100 percent yield potential on-farm.”
Dairy Markets Week in Review
Sign-up today for one of two days of four facility tours of Innovative calf and heifer operations, on Oct. 20 and 21. Developed by the 
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will tour 
At World Dairy Expo, I talked with Lance Fox of 
While Wisconsin is in the name of the organization, Executive Director Shelly Mayer says they actually have grown into a network of 1,600 members from eleven states who represent every type and size of dairy operation. “We have producers that are members from Pennsylvania, the Dakotas, California, Arizona – all over the country – because they seek the information that PDPW is providing,” Shelly says. 
This November, the 
As a dairy producer, you are also a beef producer. Recently, the results of the 
Wrapping up the Global Dairy 500 Conference was Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech President. Dr. Lyons summarized many of the presentations with a series of take home messages. The focus was on the future of dairy farming, the integration of a brand, methane production, cow comfort, tourist attractions, education, milk marketing with nutrition also being a key topic. Additionally, a strong message that came out of the presentations was to “record the data” and that body conditioning is critical. As Dr. Lyons said, “Talk to the cow and the cow will talk to you.”
The final panel discussion at the Global Dairy 500 Conference focused on future technologies in the dairy industry. Presenting were Matthew Smith, Alltech and Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech.